Anita Hill
Anita Hill
Anita Faye Hillis an American attorney and academic. She is a University Professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women's Studies at Brandeis University and a faculty member of Brandeis' Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She became a national figure in 1991 when she accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas, her boss at the U.S. Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, of sexual harassment...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionLawyer
Date of Birth30 July 1956
CityLone Tree, OK
CountryUnited States of America
Well, they've caused me to realize that as an individual I have a lot of responsibility, certainly, but that now I have even more responsibility.
My childhood was one of a lot of hard work and not much money, but it was one of solid family affection, as represented by my parents.
Why was it important to come forward? ... I felt that he showed a personal indifference to the issue in his own behavior. But more importantly I thought it showed how he dealt with issues of power generally and his use of power -- in terms of intimidating me, and as it turns out other women on his staff. And how he viewed women generally, which would impact his role as a Supreme Court Justice as it had impacted his role as the chairman of the EEOC,
I am hopeful that others who have suffered sexual harassment will not become discouraged by my experience, but instead will find the strength to speak out about this serious problem.
I think, though, as African-American women, we are always trained to value our community even at the expense of ourselves, and so we attempt to protect the African-American community.
calls for equal treatment are often seen as calls for 'special treatment' in situations where discrimination has become the norm.
We've got to understand that all disenfranchised people have something in common...The pursuit of justice really is about equality for everyone.
You can't always expect a certain result, but you can expect to do your best.
I am really proud to be a part in whatever way of women becoming active in the political scene. I think it was the first time that people came to terms with the reality of what it meant to have a Senate made up of 98 men and two women.
I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can't fail if you do that.
During this period at the Department of Education, my working relationship with Judge Thomas was positive.
Because I was extremely uncomfortable talking about sex with him at all and particularly in such a graphic way, I told him that I did not want to talk about these subjects.
When I think of what has happened in a larger sense, beyond myself, then I would not change anything.
In July of 1983, I left Washington, DC area and have had minimal contact with Judge Clarence Thomas since